Korvath War Room
The War Hall of Korvath was colder than usual, though the heavy oak doors and layered walls should have kept the chill at bay. The tension, however, seeped through every crack. At the center of the room, Iroko Ryusei sat with a stillness that could have been mistaken for serenity, were it not for the tight line of his jaw. Around him, the returning team leaders—Kenji, Yoshiya, and a few others—leaned against the polished stone tables, arms crossed, eyes sharp. Yaguro Aka's crimson cloak billowed faintly as she rose from her chair, parchment in hand, a map of Eldoria stretched before her.
"For days," Yaguro began, voice low and controlled, "no one has volunteered for the Eldoria scouting mission. Our scouts fear the unknown there, and rightfully so. After Frostholm… who can blame them? We are blind to the south."
A soft murmur ran through the room. Lia Shinsei, ever composed but clearly unsettled, leaned forward. "We cannot force our people on what amounts to a suicide mission. Eldoria is not merely hazardous—it is… unnatural. We've seen the aftermath of Frostholm. We cannot risk repeating it."
Yoshiya Hazeru's pale hands rested on the table, fingers intertwined. He had remained unusually quiet since their return from Frostholm, but his eyes burned with quiet urgency. "Lia is correct in the caution," he said slowly. "But without accurate intelligence from Eldoria, we may be walking into another stasis event. One closer to Korvath. One we cannot contain. We are gambling with lives, yes—but inaction is the same as surrender."
Kenji stepped forward, the armor of his squad clinking faintly in the empty hall. His posture was rigid, hands clasped behind his back, but even as he spoke, the weight of the unknown tugged at his words. "My team… we'll go." His voice was firm, yet betrayed a shadow of doubt. "We know the risks. But someone has to. If we don't… then the consequences fall on all of Ostoria."
Iroko rose at last. The room seemed to grow still with the sweep of his presence, a gravity that silenced the soft scuff of boots and the faint scratch of parchment. His eyes, dark and unyielding, met each of the leaders in turn. "There is only one group capable of handling this," he said, voice steady and cold. "One group with the skill, the power… and the disregard for conventional danger. This is not a task for ordinary soldiers. It is not for careful scholars or cautious scouts. It is for those who can accept the impossible and survive—or fail trying."
Yaguro Aka inclined her head slowly, acknowledging the unspoken weight of his statement. "It is time," she said. Her hands moved over the Eldoria map, tracing borders with deliberate care. "Korvath cannot wait any longer. The frost may not remain contained. The southern anomalies could shift at any moment. If Eldoria activates again… we will be powerless to prevent it."
Kenji shifted, glancing at Yoshiya. Both knew what was being implied. The Suicidal Division—those sealed operatives from Reflynne, so unbound by fear, so reckless, so necessary—were the only ones with the raw capability to confront Eldoria and live to report back.
Iroko's gaze hardened. "Prepare the messengers to Reflynne immediately. Inform Warden Kaisei and Guildmaster Kouki Nozomi. Send word that the Suicidal Division is to be summoned."
He paused, letting the weight of the moment settle. "Go to the prison. It is time to speak with them." His tone carried neither hesitation nor hope, only the resolute certainty of necessity.
Yaguro folded the parchment with precise movements. "Korvath will coordinate security, support, and any logistical needs. But make no mistake: the choice is theirs to accept—or not. There will be no coercion. Only the understanding that the fate of Ostoria depends on their actions."
Lia exhaled, her hands tightening around the edge of the table. Yoshiya's jaw set, his mind already racing through calculations, both arcane and strategic. Kenji nodded once, eyes dark, aware of the looming danger yet resolute. Every leader in that room felt the gravity: the southern blind spot would not remain blind forever, and Eldoria's unknown horrors were waiting, patient and unrelenting.
The room fell silent. Even the torches seemed to flicker in hesitation, as though sensing the magnitude of the choice now set in motion.
The Suicidal Division would be summoned. The Eldoria mission was no longer hypothetical. The leaders had run out of options. There was only one way forward.
And in that quiet, grim hall, Korvath—and all of Ostoria—held its breath.